Mail-bag catcher



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 1.

W. H. LOCKWOODQ MAIL BAG OATGHER. No. 298,216. Patented May 6, 1884.

WITNESSES: INV T Pw.

N. PETERS. Phom'umomphn. Walhi'lllan, D C.

(No Model '2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. H. LOGKWOOD.

' MAIL BAG OATOHER.

No. 298,216.: Patented May 6,1884.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

VILLIAM HENRY LOGKWOOD, OF NORTH KINGSVILLE, OHIO.

MAIL-BAG CATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,216, dated May 6, 1884.

Application filed March 6, 1884. (No model.) 1

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. LOOKWOOD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of North Kingsville, in the county of Ashtabula and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire I 5 apparatus forming my invention, parts of the side of the car being broken away the better to illustrate the construction of .the various parts. Fig. 2 is a perspective view from the inside of the car, showing the apparatus adjusted in its open or operative position; and Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the apparatus after the mail-bag has been received within the car.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. My invention relates to that class of devices 7 adapted for receiving mail-bags upon railwaycars while the latter are in motion; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of the same, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

I11 the accompanying drawings, A indicates the frame of the device, which supports the mail-bags at the various stations in a position to adapt them to be automaticallypassed into the car, through the intervening mechanism hereinafter described. Upon the upper rounded end of the central vertical post of the said frame is secured arevolving shelf or platform, B, held in place thereon by a collar, B, and pin or bolt B, the two ends of this shelf being made precisely alike, being beveled or cut away upon that edge with which the attachment on the car comes in contact, as will be hereinafter described, and having the opposite edge provided with a curved shield, G, which serves to prevent the mail-bag from being blown ofi of the shelf by the wind, Two 50 curved springs, G, fitting into curved recesses G on the lower side of the shelf B, prevent the shelf from being rotated by the wind, but,

as the recesses G lessen in depth toward either end, do not prevent the shelf from turning on its central pivot or post when the attachment on the car comes in contact with the ends of the shelf, as will be hereinafter described.

.D indicates the frame or casing of the railway-car, which is of ordinary construction, being cut away at D to admit of the passage of the revolving or swinging catch-shelf E. This shelf E is pivotally secured at one end upon a vertical rod, F, and is provided around its rear edge with a curved metal shield, E, which serves as a pocket to receive the mailbag. The free end of the shelf slides upon guides or ways G, secured upon the floor of the car, and has pivoted to it one end of a slide, H, which moves between the ways G, and serves as an additional guide for the shelf when the latter is in motion. A cross-piece,

I, secured upon the upper side of the ways G, serves as a stop for the shelf when it has been swung in into its closed position.

J indicates a sliding door, which is adapted to cover the opening 1) when the shelf is swung in, the said door being raised vertically by means of a strap, K, passing over suitable rollers, K, secured to the roof of the car, the

free end of the strap K being provided with a small aperture, to adapt it to be slipped over a pin, k, on the cross-piece I'when the door is raised, aslide, 70, one end of which works upon the said pin, being adapted to throw the free end of the strap off of the pin when the shelf is swung in against the outer end of the said slide, thereby allowing the door J to fall of its own weight into its closed position.

Upon the outer free end of the catch'shelf E is secured a bumper, L. 0

The operation of my improvement is as follows: The mail-bag is placed upon either end of the swinging shelf B, the said shelf being turned so as to lie at right angles to the track. The sliding door of the car is lifted as the train 5 approaches the depot, and the shelf 'E swung out into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the free end of the strap K be ing slipped over the pin k. When the mailcar reaches the frame A, the shelf E will pass IOO immediately below the end of the swinging shelf B until the bumper L on the shelf E comes in contact with the beveled edge of the shelf 13, when the force of the blow will knock the end of the swingingshelf B from under the mail-bag, and deposit the said bag on the shelf E, when the weight of the mail-bag, and the force of the blow previously given, will swing the catch-shelf back into the car, freeing the end of the strap K, and causing the sliding door J to close of its own weight.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. the construction and operation of my improved mail-bag catcher will readily be understood wvithout requiring further explanation.

It will be seen that my improved apparatus is simple in construction and exceedingly effective in operation, and that it will effect a great saving both in the mail bags or pouches themselves, and in the contents of the same, which are often injured or destroyed by the method of catching now-in general use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- As an improvement in mail-bag the combination, with a swinging platform or catchers,

shelf pivotally secured upon a suitable frame at the side of the railway-track, and having each of its projecting ends beveled or cut away upon one side and provided on the other with a curved wind-shield, of a swinging catch-shelf pivotally secured by one of its ends in a mailcar of ordinary construction, provided at its rear edge with a curved shield, and having at its outer free end a bumper adapted to strike against the beveled edge of the centrallypivoted platform or shelf as the catch-shelf passes immediately beneath the same, and a sliding car-door adapted to be automatically closed by the swinging in of the catch-shelf after the latter has received the mail-bag, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially in the manner and for the purpose shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY LOCKWOOD.

W'itnesses:

ELAM JEWETT COMINGS, EDWIN STILEs Monsn. 

